Adelaide Gaol

Adelaide Gaol is a former Australian prison in the Park Lands of Adelaide, South Australia.

The prison was the first permanent prison in South Australia and operated from 1841 to 1988. It is one of the two oldest surviving buildings in South Australia, the other being Government House which was built at the same time. The prison is now a museum, tourists. When the first settlers arrived in South Australia in late 1836, the prisoners were chained aboard the ships HMS Buffalo and then Tam O'Shanter. Meanwhile, the Royal Marines Governor's Guard held prisoners chained to a tree at their camp in what is now the Botanic Gardens. As the population increased, a temporary barrier was needed, which was built near Government House in Adelaide (then a simple shack) in early 1838 to allow the Marines to protect both prisoners and Governor John Hindmarsh.